2014 dark money spending on lawmakers topped $900K

PHOENIX – Arizona lawmakers considering a bill that would reduce regulation on groups that spend money in elections without disclosing the source benefitted by more than $900,000 during the 2014 election cycle, in what’s dubbed “dark money” spending.

In the Arizona House of Representatives, roughly $417,000 was spent by dark money groups to help elect 29 of the body’s 60 members. Almost all of that spending — $404,000 — went to help Republican lawmakers.

In the Arizona Senate, dark money groups spent $495,000 to help elect 18 of the body’s 30 members. About 88 percent of that — $436,000 — went to help Republicans.*

Dark money groups are classified in the state’s campaign finance database as “Independent Expenditure (Corp/LLC/Labor),” a subset of “Independent Expenditure” spending. The groups report spending on elections, but not who has given them money.

Senate Bill 1516 passed 18-10 along party lines in the Arizona Senate, with only Republican support. It is expected to receive a full vote in the House of Representatives today.

The provision of the bill pertaining to dark money regulation would get rid of the current requirement for the groups to spend more than half of their money for “social welfare,” meaning non-election spending. Instead, as long as the Internal Revenue Service holds the group in good standing, they could spend all of their money on elections.

If the bill passes in the House, it will go to Gov. Doug Ducey who will either sign or veto it. Ducey benefitted from $3.5 million in dark money spending in 2014.

Dark money spending that is attributed to a lawmaker combines the money spent by dark money groups advocating for their election, or advocating for the defeat of their opponents.

Representative

OfficeName

"Dark Money" Advocating Election

"Dark Money" Advocating Defeat of Opponent

Total "Dark Money" Help

Total "Dark Money" Spent to help Current Representatives

$303,862.14

$113,400.01

$417,262.15

Rep. Kate Brophy McGee, R - Phoenix

State Representative - District 28

$1,250.00

$44,733.22

$45,983.22

Rep. Jill Norgaard, R - Phoenix

State Representative - District 18

$37,336.22

$-

$37,336.22

Rep. Jay Lawrence, R - Scottsdale

State Representative - District 23

$25,754.75

$5,822.85

$31,577.60

Rep. Doug Coleman, R - Apache Junction

State Representative - District 16

$29,169.60

$-

$29,169.60

Rep. Darin Mitchell, R - Litchfield Park

State Representative - District 13

$13,966.40

$12,565.22

$26,531.62

Rep. Vince Leach, R - Tucson

State Representative - District 11

$24,745.50

$1,159.99

$25,905.49

Rep. Steve Montenegro, R - Litchfield Park

State Representative - District 13

$10,976.39

$12,565.22

$23,541.61

Rep. Bob Robson, R - Chandler

State Representative - District 18

$22,928.23

$-

$22,928.23

Rep. Justin Olson, R - Mesa

State Representative - District 25

$20,629.53

$-

$20,629.53

Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R - Scottsdale

State Representative - District 23

$13,572.77

$5,822.85

$19,395.62

Rep. Paul Boyer, R - Phoenix

State Representative - District 20

$10,108.69

$8,985.35

$19,094.04

Rep. Tony Rivero, R - Peoria

State Representative - District 21

$9,224.00

$5,800.00

$15,024.00

Rep. Anthony Kern, R- Glendale

State Representative - District 20

$5,654.98

$8,985.35

$14,640.33

Rep. Heather Carter, R - Cave Creek

State Representative - District 15

$13,205.49

$-

$13,205.49

Rep. Mark Finchem, R - Oro Valley

State Representative - District 11

$10,298.44

$1,159.99

$11,458.43

Rep. Frank Pratt, R - Casa Grande

State Representative - District 8

$8,255.77

$-

$8,255.77

Rep. Brenda Barton, R - Payson

State Representative - District 6

$8,219.71

$-

$8,219.71

Rep. Bob Thorpe, R - Flagstaff

State Representative - District 6

$8,219.70

$-

$8,219.70

Rep. "T.J." Shope, R - Coolidge

State Representative - District 8

$8,132.67

$-

$8,132.67

Rep. Rebecca Rios, D - Phoenix

State Representative - District 27

$7,726.00

$-

$7,726.00

Rep. Rick Gray, R - Sun City

State Representative - District 21

$500.00

$5,800.00

$6,300.00

Rep. Reginald Bolding, D - Laveen

State Representative - District 27

$3,000.00

$-

$3,000.00

Rep. Lisa Otondo, D - Yuma

State Representative - District 4

$3,000.00

$-

$3,000.00

Rep. "Rusty" Bowers, R - Mesa

State Representative - District 25

$2,861.66

$-

$2,861.66

Rep. David Gowan, R - Sierra Vista

State Representative - District 14

$1,008.57

$-

$1,008.57

Rep. David Stevens, R - Sierra Vista

State Representative - District 14

$1,008.57

$-

$1,008.57

Rep. Lela Alston, D - Phoenix

State Representative - District 24

$989.00

$-

$989.00

Rep. Karen Fann, R - Prescott

State Representative - District 1

$875.00

$-

$875.00

Rep. Mark Cardenas, D - Phoenix

State Representative - District 19

$622.25

$-

$622.25

Rep. Jose Espinoza, D - Tolleson

State Representative - District 19

$622.25

$-

$622.25

Representative

OfficeName

"Dark Money" Advocating Election

"Dark Money" Advocating Defeat of Opponent

Total "Dark Money" Help

Total "Dark Money" Spent to help Current Senators

$385,971.64

$108,618.63

$494,590.27

Sen. Bob Worsley, R - Mesa

State Senator - District No. 25

$87,891.79

$32,216.72

$120,108.51

Sen. Catherine Miranda, D - Phoenix

State Senator - District No. 27

$88,612.40

$-

$88,612.40

Sen. Sylvia Allen, R - Snowflake

State Senator - District No. 6

$20,026.32

$56,883.63

$76,909.95

Sen. Jeff Dial, R - Chandler

State Senator - District No. 18

$55,393.57

$1,052.16

$56,445.73

Sen. Carlyle Begay, R* - Window Rock

State Senator - District No. 7

$43,999.82

$-

$43,999.82

Sen. Steve Smith, R - Maricopa

State Senator - District No. 11

$22,888.99

$15,934.02

$38,823.01

Sen. John Kavanagh, R - Fountain Hills

State Senator - District No. 23

$33,603.79

$2,532.10

$36,135.89

Sen. Don Shooter, R - Yuma

State Senator - District No. 13

$6,603.37

$-

$6,603.37

Sen. David Farnsworth, R - Mesa

State Senator - District No. 16

$6,000.00

$-

$6,000.00

Sen. Barbara McGuire, D - Kearny

State Senator - District No. 8

$5,500.00

$-

$5,500.00

Sen. Martin Quezada, D - Phoenix

State Senator - District No. 29

$4,676.17

$-

$4,676.17

Sen. Lynne Pancrazi, D - Yuma

State Senator - District No. 4

$3,000.00

$-

$3,000.00

Sen. Kimberly Yee, R - Phoenix

State Senator - District No. 20

$1,891.56

$-

$1,891.56

Sen. Steve Yarbrough, R - Chandler

State Senator - District No. 17

$1,799.95

$-

$1,799.95

Sen. Adam Driggs, R - Phoenix

State Senator - District No. 28

$1,250.00

$-

$1,250.00

Sen. Steve Pierce, R - Prescott

State Senator - District No. 1

$875.00

$-

$875.00

Sen. Gail Griffin, R - Hereford

State Senator - District No. 14

$836.66

$-

$836.66

Sen. Lupe Contreras, D - Avondale

State Senator - District No. 19

$622.25

$-

$622.25

Sen. Debbie Lesko, R - Peoria

State Senator - District No. 21

$500.00

$-

$500.00

Note: *Sen. Carlyle Begay changed from a Democrat to a Republican last year. If dark money spending on his 2014 candidacy is counted as going toward a Republican, it brings the portion spent on Republicans up to $481,000, or 97 percent of the overall dark money spending.

Correction: A previous version of this story erroneously reported overall spending figures. Some expenditures were not included in seven individual lawmakers’ totals. Three lawmakers’ totals included expenditures that should have been excluded.